15 Jul 2015 00:28:06
I heard rumblings of Okposo departing Long Island last year. Curious if still the case given the fact that Isles already have plenty of forwards for next year. They could use an injection of defense and prospect goaltending for the future.

Consider this trade in the upcoming weeks:

To Montreal Canadiens:
RW - Kyle Okposo
D - Brian Strait
G - Kevin Poulin

To New York Islanders:
D - Alexei Emelin
D - Jarred Tinordi
G - Zachary Fucale
2nd Round Pick - 2016

Montreal needs goal scoring and better PP. For the habs, they get a perfectly priced, top-6 forward in Okposo. With the free agent market dried up in top 6 forwards (excluding maybe Semin), trade market may be the way to go. Habs don't need Fucale with Price in nets for many years to come. Isles desperately do. Montreal-native Kevin Poulin has been a bust in recent years so AHL he goes with Mike Condon for development in Hamilton.

For all you Emelin-haters out there, he has been a top 4 D-man in Montreal for the last 3 seasons. He will get plenty of ice time with the Isles. Tinordi hasn't worked out well in Montreal, however, Isles are cryin for 7th d-man with NHL experience. Brian Strait would end up in the 3rd line pairing next to Gilbert with slightly more games played than Pateryn and Barberio.

As for the salary cap, the Isles would take on a little more than 1 mil in cap hit. Enter the 2nd round pick (2016) for modest compensation. Negligable for the Isles who are well below the cap ceiling.

D-pairing for both teams after the deal:

Montreal Canadiens:
Subban - Markov
Petry - Beaulieu
Gilbert - Strait
(Pateryn) - (Barberio)

New York Islanders:
Boychuk - Hamonic
Leddy - Emelin
De Haan - Hickey
(Tinordi) - (UFA d-man)

Thoughts?

1.) 15 Jul 2015
15 Jul 2015 12:37:15
Why would we want Poulin?

2.) 15 Jul 2015
15 Jul 2015 13:36:40
Okposo could get better quality then that. Not saying it's awful.

3.) 15 Jul 2015
15 Jul 2015 14:05:11
Starit=Tinordi
Poulin=Fucale
Okposo> Emelin, 2nd

If you want Okposo and giving them young dmen, you first need good young dmen with top 4 potential

4.) 15 Jul 2015
15 Jul 2015 14:30:44
yes emelin has been a top 4 dman on Montreal. but that's montreal, they don't have much better. Not sayin Dallas or Toronto d is any better, but on NYI, he may be playin bottom 2 considerin De Haan, Hamonic, Boychuk and Leddy

5.) 15 Jul 2015
15 Jul 2015 15:06:03
Of all the posts I've read of late, this one makes the most sense - well thought out. Contrary to opinions of others, the value placed on Okposo is correct. I hate giving up Tinordi, but he needs a change of scenery. I will be surprised if he isn't on the move soon-ish.

6.) 15 Jul 2015
15 Jul 2015 15:27:14
Pretty good post, I would do it, maybe habs addd a player like carr or a later pick, but overall good

7.) 18 Jul 2015
18 Jul 2015 15:28:28
I would take off poulin and strait as the habs need to make space for pateryn as their 6th defenseman and for barberio as their 7th, and they just signed eddie pasquale to play in St-Johns. Maybe replace poulin and strait with a 5th round pick so that the deal is pretty fair